In the current state of the art we know of patent FR9809557 which concerns a method and a device for assisting wound closure which combines a laser with a transparent adhesive dressing. The dressing is intended to bring together the edges of a cutaneous incision while the laser is used to heat these very tissues through the dressing and thus contribute to healing. However, this quick and simple-to-use system suffers from several faults.
During its clinical use in humans, it was found that the incisions produced exudates which spread between the dressing and the skin thus destroying adhesion of the dressing in the area around the incision. However, to obtain satisfactory results it is essential that the edges of the wound are kept in close contact throughout the period up to complete closure of the wound. If this is not the case, greater fibrosis occurs in the open space resulting in the appearance of scar tissue and an increased risk of infection.
Given the length and curved shape of some surgical wounds, it is very difficult to apply a single dressing uniformly to them. To guarantee good approximation of wounds, multiple strips of dressing placed side by side need to be used, thus increasing the risk of post-operative infection.
There is therefore an advantage in proposing a method of wound closure which does not present an obstacle to the flow of exudates while producing good approximation of the edges. The use of sutures or staples would seem to provide an answer to this problem. However the material used must have a source energy absorption coefficient lower than or equal to that of the skin in which it is implanted in order to avoid it getting too hot.
Another limitation of the patent concerns the safety measures for the laser used. Two other patents currently being submitted (submissions FR0600160 and FR0651942) describe devices and methods for making triggering the laser safe by allowing its activation only when the dressing is detected by that laser.
Generally speaking, lasers used for dermatological applications have no system for automatically detecting the area to be treated. The device we describe here provides this feature and thus makes the functioning of this type of laser safe while not obstructing the area treated.